MMA veteran Kai Kamaka is more driven than ever to make his way back to the UFC, the promotion where he first made his mark, after gaining valuable experience with other organizations.
Kamaka, who has 22 professional fights, had a brief initial run in the UFC, competing four times before his contract wasn`t renewed. However, Bellator quickly signed him. Over the next two years with Bellator, he compiled a 4-1 record, with his sole loss being a close split decision.
His final Bellator bout coincided with rising rumors of the promotion being for sale. Just weeks after his victory over Henry Corrales, Bellator was officially acquired by the PFL, leading Kamaka to yet another new promotional home.
“I had that strange UFC period, but then I was doing well in Bellator, building momentum, climbing the rankings, facing tougher competition,” Kamaka shared. “I was starting to find my rhythm athletically as the competition stepped up, and things were going great. Then I fought [Henry] Corrales, but even before that fight, the sale rumors were circulating… They ended up selling shortly after, if not right at that event.”
“I transitioned into the PFL. My level of competition increased again – Bubba Jenkins, Pedro Carvalho, Brendan Loughnane. I performed well enough to be the backup fighter for the PFL championship bout.”
Kamaka participated in the 2024 PFL featherweight season, where he finished with a 2-1 record. However, he was defeated by Brendan Loughnane in a hard-fought split decision in the semifinals.
Despite appreciating the offer to serve as backup for the season`s final fight, Kamaka ultimately chose to decline the opportunity.
“I didn`t go to Saudi Arabia because we know the backup situation in PFL isn`t ideal,” Kamaka explained. “You only get $10,000 as a backup for a world title fight. It just didn`t make much sense, especially for my team.”
“Traveling to Saudi Arabia just as a backup with no opportunity for another fight on the card meant missing out on a lot of potential earnings. We didn`t go because they weren`t offering any additional incentive. If they had offered an undercard fight, it would have made sense for all of us to go.”
After declining the backup role for the PFL Finals card, Kamaka was informed that the promotion was interested in bringing him back for the following year. However, the PFL format was changing from a regular season and playoffs to a straight tournament. The championship prize money also decreased significantly, from $1 million to $500,000 for the winner.
Yet, the reduced prize money wasn`t what prevented Kamaka from committing to the PFL.
The primary issue was the terms of the contract itself.
“It was around Christmas Eve, and they sent out new contracts, and the general term was a three-year agreement,” Kamaka revealed. “That`s quite a long commitment in MMA. My pay wouldn`t increase, and it only guaranteed six fights over those three years.”
“I feel like I`m just hitting my prime. My ultimate goal, like many others, is to get back to the UFC, particularly for me to write a better story than my first time. I thought, `I don`t know if I want to do this.` The money wasn`t life-changing enough to abandon my dreams. I wondered, `Can we negotiate? Can we shorten this term?`”
Kamaka mentioned that the PFL did offer him a one-year contract for two fights, but this offer would not include participation in the tournament.
While still considering his options, Kamaka began hearing about a new promotion called Global Fight League (GFL). This upstart organization was reportedly signing a large number of veteran fighters, many of whom had previously competed in the UFC.
While GFL was said to be offering substantial contracts and money to athletes, Kamaka wasn`t entirely convinced, aware that GFL might turn out to be an overly ambitious project, especially given the sheer volume of fighters they were signing.
Nevertheless, Kamaka decided to take a chance and sign with GFL, doing so with a realistic understanding that the promotion might never actually launch.
“These guys were offering good money,” Kamaka stated. “The idea was, we could fight here, make money, and position ourselves to get back to the UFC. I could get those high-level regional fights at the GFL. I`m entering my prime, fighting experienced competitors with names. That seemed like a solid plan.”
Sadly, Kamaka`s reservations proved well-founded. GFL cancelled its two planned debut events in May, with no clear information on if they would be rescheduled. Many fighters who signed with GFL have publicly voiced their frustrations, with UFC veteran Alan Belcher calling the entire situation a “scam.”
Kamaka agrees with the sentiment based on his own experience. The cancellation of the GFL cards left him without a fight once again, and the period of inactivity started to become a concern.
He eventually secured a fight at a Tuff-N-Uff event in Las Vegas, where he ended an eight-month layoff by scoring a second-round knockout win over Joshua Weems.
That victory, combined with the unpredictable path he`s navigated since Bellator`s sale, served as powerful motivation, solidifying Kamaka`s resolve to return to the UFC.
“That`s where my passion lies,” Kamaka affirmed. “That`s why I moved my family to Las Vegas. Getting that call to the UFC is the defining moment in your MMA career. You don`t get that feeling unless it`s the UFC. You don`t get that `draft day` moment unless it`s the UFC.”
Truthfully, Kamaka doesn`t harbor ill will towards PFL, GFL, or any other promotion. However, deep down, he always knew his long-term objective was a return to the UFC. The events of the past few years have only reinforced this determination.
“I`m not here to criticize any promotion,” Kamaka said. “Running a business is tough; you have to make it work. But it`s difficult for us as fighters because we question what we`re truly striving for.”
“My personal frustration is my strong desire to return to the UFC, and I`m doing everything possible to make that happen. I`m fighting the best talent available outside the UFC. In Bellator, I was competing at the highest level I could.”
From the moment he began training in MMA, Kamaka`s goal was always to reach the UFC, and earning that first contract was a dream realized.
Unfortunately, his initial UFC tenure was brief, lasting only four fights. However, with nearly four years having passed and significantly more experience added to his record, he believes he is now truly ready for a comeback.
“There`s no doubt about it; I always wanted to be back,” Kamaka stated. “Growing up, my mindset was `UFC or bust.` Whatever that entailed – whether it meant fighting in LFA, the Bellator prelims, or elsewhere – striving for `UFC or bust` pushed me to be my best. Now, with the business landscape outside the UFC constantly shifting, it genuinely feels like `UFC or bust`.”
As much as he desires a UFC return, Kamaka recognizes that timing and opportunity will likely play a crucial role. Fighters are frequently removed from cards, creating needs for short-notice replacements. This scenario is not unfamiliar to him, as many of his initial UFC appearances came about this way.
“At 25 years old, for my four fights in the UFC, I had only one proper training camp,” Kamaka recalled. “One actual camp that allowed sufficient time for preparation. A `camp` meant more than four days` notice for Tony Kelley. I had seven days` notice for Jonathan Pearce and two weeks` notice for Danny Chavez. I had just one full camp for T.J. Brown. I didn`t really have adequate preparation time during my first UFC run. I had three short-notice fights crammed into about a year and a half.”
“That same mentality of being ready for short notice is still present, but now I`m much more experienced at handling that kind of situation. Of course, my next opportunity is likely to come on those terms. I`ve already accepted that reality. However, I`m entering the cage with significantly more experience and a much higher fight IQ than I had before. That readiness is my current state.”
